


Dog-tags

by TheSocialExperiment



Category: Attack on Titan, Shingeki no Kyojin
Genre: F/F, F/M, M/M, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-10-03
Updated: 2015-02-21
Packaged: 2018-02-19 17:00:37
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 2,977
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2395985
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSocialExperiment/pseuds/TheSocialExperiment
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sad. Multi chaptered. Each chapter should be based around a different pairing. Post war AU, modern world AU, izzys fucks everything up AU...wait...no. I always do that. Enjoy.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. All Things Start Somewhere

The war changed everybody. Erwin lost his arm. Levi had shaky hands, and his body trembled when nervous. Eren was too scared to face most daily tasks, let alone the public. Armin stuttered over his words. Mikasa would lash out violently at people. Jean had incapacitating flashbacks. Marco lost his left arm and eye in the explosion of his truck. Annie had nightmares every night, of ice and shattering glass. Reiner lost his sanity completely, prone to fits of laughter and incoherent strands of gibberish words. Bertholdt lived in a constant of constant hallucinations, always hearing bombs go off and shots being fired. Ymir wouldn't let Historia out of her sight. Historia wouldn't let go of Ymir's hand. Connie and Sasha were distrustful of anyone new and locked themselves up away together. Hanji was the only who didn't lose herself. She stayed strong, taking care of her friends after the war. She helped them get back into society and reclaim their lives. Sort of. 

Levi Ackerman and Eren Jaeger had become inseparable during the war. After Levi's squad was killed in combat, he took on a fierce protectiveness of his last squad member. They survived due to his determination as Humanity's Strongest Soldier, as the headlines of all newspapers said in bold letters. 

Now, they were no longer at war. They had survived and won the war. The two veterans shared an apartment in the outskirts of a city called Trost. Most of the other soldiers lived in the near vicinity. They took comfort in the fact that they could walk to each other's houses. 

Here are their stories.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> New? Things happen. People cry.

The bedroom was dark. A huddled shape was shaking in the corner. The dog-tags around the man's neck clattered loudly in the quiet space.

Jaeger  
Eren  
104th  
Special Operations

They were Eren's dog-tags. When the war ended, Eren and Levi had switched dog-tags and swore to never abandon each other. 

The light flicked on. A soft voice rang out. "Levi?"

He shuddered. His ears echoed with the cries of his fellow squad being killed. Petra Ral was next to him, limp body leaning onto a tree, spine snapped. Auruo Bozado's body filled full of bomb shrapnel. Eld Jinn, blown in half by a land mine. Gunther Schultz at his feet, blood oozing out of a wound through his neck. 

Eren didn't exist in this memory. 

Eren was yelling, shaking Levi back and forth. It just felt like the ground shaking from the death of the world. Everything was burning. Everything was ending. 

He stared down the barrel of the gun into bright, angry eyes. He squeezed his eyes shut and pulled the trigger. A cry sounded. Blood splattered on his face, mixing with the mud. 

"They aren't human, they aren't human," he gasped to himself, trying not to break down further. He couldn't get him and his lover killed. Not now. They'd come too far to die now. 

"-evi...vi...Le...Levi!" 

Eren was standing over him, shaking his shoulders harshly. The boy's face was red from yelling and crying. He stopped when Levi snapped out of it. 

"...I'm a murderer, Eren. I've been killing humans this whole time."

The brunette leaned down and kissed the black haired man, chaste and sweet. He picked the man up bridal style. 

"Shhh, it's okay. It's all over," Eren murmured as he stroked the man's soft hair. He carefully placed him on the bed, then sprawled out next to him, intwining their hands together. 

There was a while when neither of them spoke. Levi calmed down. Eren placed his head on his lover's chest, listening to his steady heartbeat. 

"Levi? I got a job today."

"Really? Where?"

"Cafe Shiganshina. Barista. Hanji set it up, explained my...condition...to the manager. I start tomorrow . I just figured we can't live completely off Hanji forever. And...well, I need to get over my condition."

"Are you gonna be okay, brat?"

Eren just buried his face into Levi's shoulder in response. Levi ran his shaking hands through the boy's messy hair. He was completely underneath the tall boy, dwarfed by his size. He was so frail, shoulder bones jutting out harshly through his shirt. 

"...no," he whispered finally. "I'm terrified..." His dog-tags clinked together. 

Ackerman  
Levi  
\-------  
Special Operations

Levi's Trainee Squad was scratched out. He had done it after his entire squad was wiped out. He was it, the last one. 

"It should be okay. I went there all the time before-" he choked. "Before all of this..."

Levi raised the boy's head from his shoulder. He was too young to have had to deal with war, too innocent. The black haired man kissed Eren, running his hand down tear streaked skin.

The boy leaned forward into his lover's hands, whimpering softly against them. Levi's trembling hands trailed down Eren's neck and started unbuttoning his shirt. 

Eren broke the kiss and sat up, still sitting on Levi's hips. His bright amber eyes were wide and his face flushed. 

Levi cocked his head to the side, "Are you okay?" 

Eren furrowed his eyebrows. "Yeah, sorry." He leaned down and kissed Levi again, their dog-tags clashing. 

"Brat. We can stop if you want. I won't be angry," Levi said when they pulled away to breathe. 

Eren collapsed back onto Levi's chest. Levi could feel how fast his heart was beating. He put his hand on the boy's head. 

"Idiot. You don't need to try and please me. We'll do this when you're ready."

No response. Levi looked at the brunette's face. He was already asleep. 


	3. Chapter 3

When Eren awoke, the bed was cold and empty. His lover worked at a local bar, owned by their commander Erwin Smith, as a bartender. He usually worked night shifts, but sometimes he has to cover Mike on the morning shift when he couldn't work.

The clock read 7:15. He had an hour and forty five minutes until work. He texted Armin.

//Eren- Cn u come ovr? 1st day of wrk

//Armin- Having panic attacks? I'll be over in 5.

Eren stayed curled up in bed until he heard the front door open. Everyone had keys to each other's houses.

"Eren?"

"I'm in the bedroom."

The blonde turned the light on. Eren felt a hand on his back.

"Come on, Eren. You need to get up."

Eren threw the covers back, grabbed his best friend with one arm, pulled him down, and threw the covers over them. Armin sighed heavily as Eren buried his head into his shoulder blades, the nervous boy's arms still around him.

"H-hey. It's gonna be o-okay," Armin said, reaching behind him to pat his friend's head. "I'll walk you there if that would make you feel better."

The grip around Armin's chest tightened. "...thank you."

"Now come on. You need to get ready. I'll make breakfast while you shower, okay?" Eren nodded into his back. "Good."

 

When Eren got out of the shower, the house smelled of bacon and cooked eggs. He put a pair of black pants on and draped the towel across his shoulders.

Two plates say on the counter, both filled with eggs, bacon, and toast. Eren came up behind Armin, who was washing dishes, and wrapped his arms around the smaller boy's waist.

"Thank you Armin."

"No problem," he replied as he pushed Eren away with an elbow. "Now go eat and put on clothes. We're leaving in 15."

Eren mock saluted. "Yessir!"

They ate quickly and Eren threw on a white oxford, buttoning it up as they walked.

The cafe was just opening. Mina, the girl who interviewed him, was sitting at a table polishing silverware. She looked up when the door chimed.

"Eren! Welcome to Shinganshina Cafe!" she said as she smiled warmly. "Would you like some coffee for you and your friend?"

Armin smiled and sat down at a table next to hers.

"Nah, I'm good," he said, extending his arm. "I'm Armin Arlet."

"Mina Carolina, nice to meet you."

The day went by fast. The cafe was rather slow. Mina taught him how to make the most common drinks as they were ordered, and how to make the less popular drinks in lulls. He caught on quickly, so Mina went in the back to check and reorder supplies.

Levi's tags jingled merrily at his neck, despite what an awful thing they represented. The bell chimed, followed by obnoxious laughter.

 

 

Eren dropped the mug in his hands. The entire cafe went silent. His legs gave out. He sat on the cafés floor with his hand covering his mouth in shock.

"No...we can't go back...we've already lost so many Hanji!"

She grimaced sympathetically for the young boy. But orders were orders. They were being redeployed as the special operations squad.

"You have a week to pack your things. I'll send Rico in Friday to pick up you and Levi." She squatted down and placed her hand on the trembling boy's shoulder. "I'm sorry, Eren." And then she was gone with a chime of the door.

Eren didn't remember anything after that. He didn't remember falling over, eyes wide open. He didn't remember Thomas getting his phone out and calling Levi. He didn't remember Levi hauling him up and taking him home. He only remembered gunfire and all the people he couldn't save.

 

"Annie! Nooooo!"

The blonde slipped out of Bertholdt's grasp and ran, her gun braced in her grip like a lance. She swung it over her head and back down with her entire weight. It cracked the soldier's skull. She spun it quickly around and shot the 3 soldiers who were advancing on her. She was now out of ammunition.

It was no use. They were surrounded. Annie got out her last two grenades. She pulled the pin on one and threw it behind a rock formation. There were yells, then a bang. They weren't firing at her anymore. One more grenade and no bullets.

She took a deep breath and dropped her gun in the mud. Reiner and Bertholdt were still alive, still yelling for her to return. They couldn't die here, not now. She ran past the trench and yelled for them to find safety. She stopped and stared down at Bertholdt.

"You know what to do, Bertl. Keep him safe." And she took off running once again, drawing her knife from her belt. This was it.

"ANNIE!" Reiner yelled, trying to scramble after her. Bertholdt grabbed him by his collar and dragged him back down in the mud.

"Stop. Now run."

 

Annie turned to see them running out of the trench and towards a group of trees. They could hide. They could survive. Reiner had his hand stretched out, his mouth still crying out her name.

Everything sped up as her heart slowed down. From the corner of her eye, she saw a solder point his gun at her. She stared at Reiner, hand stretched as if to take his hand in hers as the bullet ripped through her neck. She fell in slow motion.

"They're safe, they're safe, they're sa-"

LEONHART  
ANNIE  
104th  
M.P.

Reiner and Bertholdt gasped, clutching on shaking branches so they wouldn't fall out of the tree. Annie falling, she wasn't moving. The scene kept flashing through their minds.

 

Levi and Eren stood back to back; firing, reloading, and never missing a shot. Eren's eyes were cold as ice. Levi's cut like a blade. They were getting out of this alive.

 

Jeanette, Connie and Sasha had been compromised. They were nearly out of ammo and were stuck sitting in a trench. Sasha nervously sharpened her knife, the scraping sound amplified under their fried nerves.

"Sasha. Enough."

The silence was even worse than scraping metal or gunshots. They all hoped their friends were alive.

Jeanette was rebraiding her hair. She cursed softly as her hands tangled in dirty brown locks. Connie sighed before sitting behind her, taking the half assed braid in his hands.

"Let me do it. I have sisters back home that made me braid their hair."

He gently but efficiently French braided it and twirled the rest into a tight bun. Jeanette thanked him as she fit her helmet back on her head.

She stood up. "Let's move out. We still need to find Captain Levi and Eren." Sasha and Connie stood up and followed her, guns loaded and cocked.

"C'mon Springer, Braus. Let's go find us some ass to kick."

 

The last two groups were Ymir, Historia, and Commander Erwin; and Armin, Mikasa, and Marco.

Ymir and Historia were holed up in some local's house, treating Historia's wounds. Some enemy soldier tried to stab her when his gun jammed. He didn't live to see what he hit. His blade had sliced the blonde girl's arm. It bled sluggishly, brown with mud and dried blood.

 

The commander found Armin, Mikasa, and Marco exchanging fire with soldiers across a trench. Marco was the best shot with his gun on a tripod. He was 104th best sniper, despite his lack of an arm and eye.

The commander crouched in beside Armin and took the blonde's gun. He dispatched two of the soldiers and Marco hit the third in the forehead. The last soldier dropped his gun and raised his hands. Marco was about to shoot anyway when Erwin stopped him.

"Let him go."

The man ran for his life.

 

Connie went down in slow motion. His gun jammed and misfired. Sasha screamed. Jeanette cursed the boy for pointing the gun at his face. She grabbed the redhead's hands and forced her to keep running.

Sasha cursed and wailed as she was dragged away from her dead boyfriend.

"Would you rather die with him?!" She yelled. Sasha forced her wrist out the brunette's grasp and ran next to her, tears leaving pure trails down her face.

"That idiot..." She thought. "I can't live without you..."

 

Jeanette and Sasha ran until they couldn't breathe. They had to find some of their teammates. They had to know someone else was alive.

Reiner and Bertholdt saw them run past their tree. Shouldn't Connie be with them? One look at Sasha's face told them where Connie was. The duo stopped at the battlefield. Annie.

Jeanette kneeled down and took the knife out of the dead girl's hand. She cut off Annie's name tag to give to her two friends, tall 'n awkward and stocky blonde.

It was by pure chance that they found Captain Levi and Eren. They spotted a familiar short and tall duo fighting back to back. Jeanette and Sasha fired at anyone that tried to get close to them as the two reloaded.

"Go, go, go!" Levi yelled. "Cover your own ass or get shot!"

They some how managed to retreat into a small settlement. It was abandoned. They swept the houses and settled into the second floor of one, Jeanette and Eren posing as sentries.

As they caught each other up, Erwin's ragtag group had fallen into a bad situation. Mikasa was angrily muttering, about to lash out. She wanted to see Eren. Erwin was trying to tell her that he was safe, he was with Levi, Levi would protect him, but she only got more agitated at each word.

 

"Jeanette. Sasha. Have you seen Armin or Mikasa?" Eren asked.

They shook their heads gravely.

"We went to go look for you guys. Connie shot himself. We saw Annie with a bullet to the neck. No sign of her boys or of Commander. Have you seen Marco?" Jeanette asked hopefully.

Levi and Eren looked at each other. "We saw him earlier. He was far away and alone. Completely out of it. Someone started shooting so we couldn't go get him. Sorry Jeanette," Eren sighed.

"...I think I'm going to go back out. I need to find him. Take care of Sasha for me," she stated, standing up. "Any spare ammo?"

Levi tossed her a package.

"Thanks. Be good, Sasha. I'll see you around," the brunette said as she patted the sniffling girl on the head. She stood up and hugged the loud mouthed leader she'd grown so fond of over these days.

"Be careful, horseface. Don't get yourself killed," Eren said as she walked past him. Those green eyes still made her heart hurt. He pulled her into a tight hug, surprising everyone.

"Don't get yourself killed either, Jaeger-bombbastic."

 

"We need to keep going. We haven't completed our mission objective, find and neutralize Titan leader Beast."

Mikasa stood up. "No. I'm going to go find Eren." Erwin's jaw tightened.

"This could be called insubordination, Private Ackerman. You will be going nowhere."

She glared at the commander, but made no move to leave. Armin sighed in relief.

Erwin sighed. "Fine. Let's go locate Captain Levi and Eren. We can't complete our objective tonight anyway. I got word that he's already abandoned his last location. We need more ammunition and rest. Move out."

Armin and Marco scrambled to their feet. "Yes sir!" they yelped in unison. Mikasa simply released the safety on her gun.

It was nearly dusk when the group stumbled upon a small abandoned village.

"We're going to have to rest here. Can't go any further into enemy territory when it's dark. Mikasa and Marco, take the right houses. Armin and I will take the left. Clear them out, shoot anyone that isn't one of us. Meet in the middle when you're done."

They split into two groups and swept the houses. When Armin burst into the two story house where one of the other groups was hiding, Sasha nearly shot him.

"Armin!" She yelled, tackling him in a hug. Levi and Eren jolted awake. Eren jumped up, hand going for his gun. He stopped when he saw his friend.

"Armin!" He exclaimed as he pulled the blonde away from Sasha and into a hug. They were both trembling.

**Author's Note:**

> Yay emotional trauma. This is just the intro. Eren/levi coming up soon. And just a note, I'll leave the chapters up to you. If you recommend a pairing, they'll probably be the next chapter.


End file.
